Steven Universe:

I Live to Serve…

I would like to explain why this story has changed from its originally set timeframe: After reviewing aspects about the character and his development, I want him to eventually be able develop through many of the earlier storylines and become far more involved with the other characters and events. For instance, appearing at an earlier setting will allow him to meet characters such as Peridot in two separate ways: as both an enemy and then a hesitant ally, leading to a much more developed bond between said characters.

So, to clarify, these events will begin and progress straight after the events of 'Friend-Ship'. Just so we don't' have any confusion. Also, please, again, no flames. I am glad I haven't got any for my first chapter but, seriously, there is no need for such negativity…

I would also like to, once again, personally thank ShadowDragon1553 for helping this amateur writer, once again, formulate this idea and make it a brilliant reality. And, finally, you are still awesome and I appreciate everything you have done to help me!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with the Steven Universe franchise but I do own the OC that this story centres around.

So, let's get started…

Chapter I: Last Hope…

"Those stupid fools! Those traitorous rejects!" The lime-green, Home-world Gem continued to barked incessantly to the canyons below as she flew over the desolate plains of the Alpha Kindergarten, her thoughts and concentration focused on her hatred of her ever-present enemy. "Those… Those… Those… Crystal Clods!"

As always, the great technician known as Peridot had planned the most perfectly thought out and simple trap to ensnare her enemies and finally remove them as a threat to her work. This plot spawned of her own brilliance, alas, had failed; begrudgingly noting to herself that this mistake cost her an entire section of her legs enhancers. Frustration was certainly not the correct words to describe her frustration; at least that certainly seemed to be the case to anyone who was unlucky enough to hear her childish curses.

Screaming indignantly to the canyon below, Peridot failed to take notice of her current flight-path and a large incoming jutting section of the canyon closing in on her. "The next time I see them… I'll... Uh, I will make them pa-Agh!" The previously ignored jutting section of the canyon connected with her arm and ungraciously caused her only method of aerial propulsion to cease and allow gravity to take its sinisterly unfair grips upon her. "Oh no! No! No! No! No!"

Flinching at the distinct clang that resounded from her collision, the Gem groaned as she glanced ahead at her temporary base of operations… and the shoddy condition it had been left in by her predecessors. Pushing herself onto her feet, not willing to partake in anymore aerial manoeuvres for the time being, Peridot began to clumsily limp across the barren wasteland with her own thoughts latching onto the suddenly interesting subject of her present location… along with its awfully dismal appearance.

'Lonely… Abandoned… Ruined…' The mechanically-enhanced Technician thought as she wandered further through the dark and desolate ruins, her already scuffed leg-enhancers kicking up some of the canyons dust and flicking the small particle-like grains behind her into a dusty cloud. 'How could have the other Technicians let the Kindergarten degrade so much?'

The air was thick, clotted by the faint dusty haze. The ground was no longer a healthy beige, many blemishes of burnt and cracked earth blotted its once beautiful visage, showing its horrific disfigurement from a once proud natural beauty to a corrupted breeding ground. Peridot breathed in heavily, tasting the horribly copper taste lingering in the air from the abandoned Injectors – her more advanced respiratory system still temporarily searing from the amount of clotted air she had unintentionally consumed – but felt like she could not simply ignore it and hope to find a much difference in contamination anywhere else. It was like this no matter the venture. Even the dark and desolate underground laboratories and observation hubs were not safe from this putrid pollution left behind by the decrepit machines.

Whenever she came here, alone or with preferably desired company of her last remaining Robonoids, Peridot could not ever shred the awful feeling that came under the designation dread. She could feel it wherever she ventured within its horrid, stone walls. It lurked in the shadows of every corner, looming over her infectious joy like a predator preparing to strike. Its dark entropy lurked within the abandoned holes of the many born and unborn Gems. Its evil knew not the meaning of boundaries, seeping through every nook and cranny that crossed its path. And Peridot… could feel its presence at every single moment.

Glancing at the large deactivated machines and many 'birth-holes' scattered about the ruin, Peridot began to wonder how she could walk through these insanely eerie chasms before without even flinching. It seemed odd. Scratch that, it seemed almost impossible to wander these ruins without even feeling slightly uncomfortable; and, yet, Peridot did not seem to be phased in her previous ventures here. It made absolutely no sense!

Maybe… Maybe she was too preoccupied with her current mission to truly notice the atmosphere here…

'Yeah, that sounds about right…'

"Ah!" She squeaked as she tripped on a small jutting rock placed suitably to ruin her already miserable day with its unwanted presence; its location had, without a doubt, been planned a few million years before simply to conveniently inconvenience her at this very point in time. Yes, that sounded completely logical... "Ugh!" Her eyes narrowed as she slowly pushed herself from her fallen spot, glaring accusingly at the small rock as if it were her new mortal enemy.

"Well, then…" She sighed. "If I am unable to even defeat a group of defects, rejects and traitors…" Engaging her arm-cannon with the malice of a born soldier, the technician laughed maniacally as the weapon charged it's incredibly efficient and destructive beam to eliminate the insufferable earth indentation. "Then I can, at least, eliminate you from ever plaguing my existence ever again!"

Firing slightly crookedly, Peridot lost her usually stable balance and collapsed onto her rear and sent the blast upwards towards a nearby wall. The helpless wall shattered with ease and scattered large amounts of debris across the nearby land. Glancing up at her unintentional work, Peridot paled as she realised that she had now added to the already tarnished state of the Kindergarten; her own incompetence joining that of her previously aforementioned technicians.

"Oh no!" She yelped as she stared at the smouldering wreckage of the Kindergarten wall. "What have I done!? I mean, I know this place is shoddy anyway but I didn't need to add to it!? What if Yellow Diamond orders me to recover some of this!? Or asks me to document any damage caused to it?!"

Halting in her rambles, the Home-world operator noticed the dim shine that resonated from the hole she had created. "Wuh… What is… What is that?" She asked rhetorically, standing from her sat position and limping towards the dimly lit artificial cave; as to not to be fooled or attacked, Peridot kept her weapon armed and ready. "I don't remember this on the facility schematics… Unless this was one of the many secret projects mission-report informed me of…" Her bright green eyes widening excitedly as she began to pick up her faltering pace. "If there is any prototype technology still here then I am sure I can find something to help me out of this mess!"

The lab, though a dark and desolate place to the normal observer, was a beautiful feat of scientific creation to the eyes of the abandoned technician. With every vial of mysterious serums, she almost squealed with delight. At the sight of many untested weapon prototypes, she had to resist the urge to burst into maniacal laughter; concealing her deranged glee along with it. This place… This laboratory was a marvellous example of the brilliant ingenuity that those arcane Gem scientists and technicians possessed, something the current few generations seemed to be lacking. To the Peridot roaming these long abandoned walls, however, this was an absolute heaven to her and she was sure that she didn't ever want to leave. At this point in time, the Cluster did not seem to matter. This was her new obsession. This was her new mission. This was her true priority…

'I must take the time to examine absolutely everything!' She thought joyously. 'This won't just get me off this heaping rock," She smiled as she lifted a small relic from its dusty pedestal. 'this will get me additional commendations from Yellow Diamond if I can recover it!'

However, as suddenly as the object of sudden interest that had been laid upon her metallic palm, it quickly disintegrated and turned to dust. "No! No! No!" The Gem reached for a few more of the indistinguishable items and watched in horror as they each, subsequently, turned to dust and crushed her hopes with each and every falling particle. "No!" She begged as her flicker of determination dwindled. As the final relic she had attempted to recover disintegrated in her palm, she huddled herself onto the ground and brought her artificial legs to her chest as the light drained from her verdant eyes. "N-No…"

"That… That was my last hope… I'm doomed." Her lips trembled slightly. "I… I'm going to… I'm going to die here…. And… And I'm all alone…" Tears welled up in her eyes. "Alone…"

In a moment of weakness, the Gem let slip some tears and she began to… to… cry. She was unable to see why she shouldn't be this vulnerable and weak in this moment. What excuse could she possibly have for trying to remain strong? It was all over. She had no hope of going back to the only home she had known. Her chief of security, Jasper – a being unmatched in strength and brutality – had abandoned her by making a foolish tactical manoeuvre to attack those Crystal Clods head on. She was no use to Peridot at the bottom of the ocean! Her commander and chief, Yellow Diamond, had left her on this planet to suffer, alone. She hadn't even bothered to contact her for a status report. Without the Diamond, she had no other way home…

She truly had been forsaken…

So, tears didn't seem so silly anymore…

Especially since she was alone…

…

'Wait…' He reasoned, one more, to his own weakening psyche. 'I just need to keep… waiting…'

He was still here. He hadn't moved. He hadn't budged. He was not even sure how much time had passed since the beginning of his dialogue to the audience that consisted of himself and the immaterial Darkness. An interesting audience, to be sure.

He never did feel judged by any possible disapproving eyes or opinions. Peer pressure was not a problem for the abandoned Gem as he was never forced to conform to appeal to anyone. As much as he may have resented this existence, it had a certain appeal to it… To not ever be judged… To be independent and free from all whom would ever bring negativity to your life.

It was… was… nice.

However, it still felt – in some sick way – shallow. Not being judged… Not having someone approve of your actions… felt completely wrong. Without someone to judge your every motive… To guide your every step on the path you have been destined to follow... life seemed to have no meaning. There were no experiences to learn from, no life to live that involved the many multitude of opinions and personalities that came from other lifeforms.

How was this abandoned Gem supposed to know what was the only true right and wrong without guidance? How could he ever learn anything if he was never taught the meaning of morality and its many contorting and corrupted faces? How was he supposed to discover his purpose without a guide to show him the path ahead!?

Tears fell once again, this time, accompanied by the boiling flames of rage. They seared throughout the core of his entire being and consumed each and every piece of mineral that made up this invisible form. This place… This hell made him almost lose what stable emotional control he had. He was so useless here! He could do nothing but wait and be patient until he would be free and… and…

'What will I do when I am free?' He thought. 'If I cannot find my purpose within this abyss… How can ever do something with my life or follow a path if I have no idea what I should do?'

The anger nearly boiled over, almost consuming him. 'Oh, what does it matter!?' He replied, barking back at his previous statement as if it were the irritating rhetoric of some ignorant delinquent. 'It's not like anyone cares! No one has found me and no one ever will!'

'But… I can't… give up…' He timidly replied. 'Once I get out… I can help people…'

'Like anyone wants my help!'

'Everyone… Everyone needs help… sometimes…'

'I don't even know what my purpose is! How am I supposed to help others when I canno-Wait…' He halted in his scolding, hearing the intrusion of a foreign sound breaching the darkness. 'That's… Someone's making a sound… I can… I can hear them…' He had never heard another being create any sound in here. It sounded familiar to him… It seemed to be… crying? They were crying. No wonder he remembered the sound. He had been the source of it often enough. This person must have been upset about something awful for them to cry. Maybe… Maybe they were nearby! Maybe he could reach out to them! Maybe he could-

'Help them…'

A surge of delight flooded his being. 'Yeah… I… I can help them!' He cheered to the darkness, the immaterial entity ignoring him as if he were not even a being within its realm of existence. 'If they need me, I will find them and help them!' A small chuckle escaped his lips as he glanced towards the small glimmering object attached to what he assumed was his right stabilisation appendage, a glint of joy flaring into his eyes. 'And if I have to… I will serve them for the rest of my days… Just make them happy.'

'I can help everyone…' His core began to shine.

'I can bring joy to the hearts of those less fortunate…'

The glimmer that shone from his Gem did not seem to allow itself to fade but he ignored it as he leaked more tears. They were no longer accustomed to the sorrow he had grown so used to. They were made from an overwhelming amount of joy.

He… He was finally free...

'I… I don't need to wait any longer…'

And he didn't want to look back.

"I am free…"

…

Peridot had been seated in her miserable position for over half an hour weeping to herself, not willing to change her current actions for any reason as she felt that such effort was not needed to do something that would result in being completely pointless. Why, for the Diamond's sake, should she bother with her attempts to escape this pit anymore? All her remaining hope had been lost. She was on her own now and no one was going to help her. No one even cared abo-

Clink!

She jolted suddenly, raising her arm cannon in alarm in an attempt to target the sounds originator. "Who's there!?" She hoped, that out of everything, it was not another disgusting cluster amalgamation hiding in the shadows to strike and begin wreaking havoc amongst the ruins. She just couldn't deal with that right now; not in the middle of such emotion al turmoil. "I'll shoot! If you come any closer, I'll tear you apart!"

She jumped as she noticed the faint glimmer coming from a small container to her right, alerting her to its presence. She tried her best to calm her nerves before she scared herself back into her own Gem but felt that even the slightest visual or audible occurrences would suffice to do so. The small violet glow was weak but not fading. It was just enough to get the attention of anyone in the rooms vicinity. Treading cautiously towards the object, Peridot kept her weapon trained upon the mysterious glow; she was sure to make each step as careful as absolutely possible – especially with her damaged synthetic leg enhancer.

"Okay, okay, okay…" She reasoned to her distressed psyche, the same mantra repeating continuously. "It's probably only a control switch. Or a beacon. Maybe it is just a mood light…" Her free disembodied digits came to her face as to simulate a face-palm. How could she suggest something so ridiculously stupid!? She was starting to act like those Clods that constantly plagued her! "Okay, Peridot, you'll be fine." She took a soothing intake of air. "I'll be fine. I'll be fine. I'll be fine!"

Peridot reached forward and flipped open the container with a soft thump against the metallic wall, her eyes clenching shut along with the release of an audible 'eep!' – in her own opinion, moments of tension and angst were something she would most rather avoid. Technicians, like her, should not have to deal with this sort of task. That's what Jasper was supposed to be doing in her place; being stuck at the bottom of this planets ocean certainly hampered the behemoth from her task. A single eye peeked open, gazing worryingly into the case with an overwhelming feeling of dread. Surprised at finding nothing of any particular danger, she released a gasp as both her verdant eyes shot open to gaze in awe at her unexpected discovery. Reaching into the steel container, marked with the original emblem of the four Diamonds, Peridot grasped a hold of the small violet and blue mineral within.

Her eyes narrowed as her arm enhancer began a scan on the small mysterious object. "A… A Gem?" She traced a single synthetic digit over the distinctive crack splintered down the centre. "Great… It's cracked. Still, I don't think I have ever seen a Gem like this." The enhancer beeped as the scanner finished its analysis, forming a perfectly hexagonal holographic interface with the uploaded relevant data presented for the technician to examine. "Let's see…"

-Analysis: A short-running prototype Gem project with only a few actual successful formations and a singular Perfected formation. Designed – on direct orders from Yellow Diamond – to be created for in service of [Classified Information] Diamond. This Gem was constructed with the express purpose of assisting troop movements with reconnaissance, serving the Diamond's whims as a loyal 'drone' workforce and assist officers or people of importance in a similar role that would otherwise be taken on by a Pearl.

-Abilities: The capabilities gifted to this prototype come from the basic selection shared by all Gems but differ from the basic formations with the inclusion of some unique abilities:

-Being able to forge and repair any form of weaponry or technology when given the instruction.

-Access a low-base level healing ability that cannot fully heal a fellow Gem soldier or Officer but help temporarily stabilise their condition.

-With enough concentration, this unit can use its third optic to be able to see great dista-

"Wait, what!?"

Ignoring the rest of the rest of the data, Peridot leaned closer to the screen with a deranged glee as she reread the only part of the text that interested her. "This… This is it!" Her eyes widened as she nearly leapt for joy, closing her monitor and cradling the cracked Gem with the utmost care of a human mother with her offspring. "Even if it is cracked… I can just get it repaired! Then, I will have both a builder and a servant!" She cackled, holding the Gem up triumphantly. "To think, a Peridot with another Gem serving her every whim! It will be like having my own Pearl!"

Deciding that she had to begin to plan her escape from this hell, the technician – cradling the abandoned broken Gem – began to tread towards the nearby Warp Pad with a newly revived vigour. This was her only option now. She needed to explore the damage of the original Homeworld Warp Pad and then wait for her opportunity to move against the Crystal Gems and capture her only means to ever repair the Gem or the Warp Pad: the Steven.

'The Steven, with his healing abilities, is my only and last chance off this heaping rock!' The technician narrowed her eyes, raw determination boiling throughout her entire being. 'I will need to bide my time and wait for an opportunity to capture him and force him to use what powers he has to help me escape…"

Peridot wasn't worried about her lonely and dismal fate anymore. With this newly acquired Gem, and her own brilliant ingenuity, she would easily be able to capture that pebble who lives with those Crystal Clods, persuade him to repair the Gem and arrive back on Home-world with a mission success.

Who cared about Jasper? Who cared about the fate of this miserable planet? If she could bring home a recovered Gem prototype sworn to her service, that 'Steven' as her prisoner and assure the success of the Cluster's formation, Yellow Diamond – her Diamond – would be so pleased! Peridot could imagine the praise she would receive for her exemplary work.

"She would be so proud of me!" She squealed as she approached the Kindergartens resident Warp Pad. "A promotion, my own Pearl and some well-earned Respect!" She took her place atop the technological marvel. "The possibilities would be endless!"

All she needed to do was to just prolong her patience a little longer and take her time coming up with a plan of action. Arrogance would not pay off here. Neither would taking the easiest routes. She had no working destabilisers to defend herself with and an impeding injury that would hasten her work. She needed to be patient and plan her every move.

Patience was the key.

'I just need to wait for my opportunity to arise.' She reasoned with a dark sneer as the bright light of the Warp-device activated. 'And no Crystal Clods will be able to stop me now!'